Predictors of Adolescent Intentions to Quit Vaping Nicotine

Some adolescents who use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) intend to quit vaping. Among adolescents who recently used ENDS, we examined behavioral, psychological, familial, and social factors associated with ENDS cessation intentions.

Logistic regressions were based on 2,515 adolescents (age 12-17) in the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study who had used ENDS in the past month. Based on eight waves of youth/parent data collected from 2016 to 2023, we examined whether youths' prior ENDS use (daily, lifetime 100 or more times), ENDS flavoring, unsuccessful quit attempts, ENDS dependence, ENDS beliefs (harms, addictiveness), dual- or poly-nicotine use, alcohol drinking, cannabis use, parents' or friends' ENDS use, and a strict household vaping ban were associated with youths' ENDS cessation intentions (i.e., desire to quit next month).

Approximately 30% of youth intended to quit next month. The intention to quit ENDS was negatively associated with daily vaping (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = .65 [95% confidence interval (CI) = .48-.89]), established lifetime ENDS use (aOR = .62 [95% CI = .52-.74]), greater dependence on ENDS (aOR = .62 [CI = .56-.68]), the use of candy-flavored vapes (aOR = .66 [95% CI = .55-.77]) or fruit-flavored vapes (aOR = .78 [CI = .69-.88]), past-month alcohol (aOR = .81 [CI = .69-.95]) or cannabis use (aOR = .75 [CI = .64-.87]), and having friends who vape (aOR = .87 [CI = .81-.93]). Intentions to quit were higher among youth who believed vaping was harmful (aOR = 1.26 [CI = 1.14-1.38]) or addictive (aOR = 1.16 [CI = 1.07-1.26]), and especially for youth who had attempted to quit in the past year (aOR = 7.18 [CI = 6.24-8.26]).

Intentions to quit vaping remain an important objective for adolescent health intervention efforts. Our study identifies targets for parents, teachers, clinicians, and policymakers to encourage quit intentions among youth who vape.